EuroVelo 2

Dublin, London, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk and Moscow: six compelling but different cities that are united by the 5,500 km long Capital Route. You can either start in the welcoming atmosphere of Ireland’s Pubs or with a photo at the awe-inspiring Red Square in Moscow. In between you can combine first class dining, partying and culture in the capitals and other cities along the route with beautiful scenery such as the untouched Białowieża Forest between Poland and Belarus or Snowdonia National Park in the UK.

The first capital of the Capitals Route is the Irish one: Dublin. This welcoming city is the perfect place to take a break. Culture and folklore are omnipresent in Dublin’s streets with Christchurch and St Patrick’s Cathedrals, Trinity College (photo) and its famous library, Grafton Street and the Molly Malone statue. During the night, in the famous Temple Bar area there is an almost endless choice of pubs to drink a well-deserved pint of stout.
Photo credit: Joachim S. Müller

EuroVelo 2 – Capitals Route passes through the Belarusian capital city of Minsk. Cyclists can enjoy the numerous museums and parks of the city and be charmed by the great diversity of churches in the city.

The State Borodino War and History Museum and Reserve, is the world's oldest battlefield museum and is located 120 km west of Moscow. It was established in 1839 to protect the site of the Battle of Borodino (1812) - the location of the decisive battle between the Russian and French armies led by Kutuzov and Napoleon.

In the Netherlands, the Capitals Route passes through… The Hague. Of course The Hague is not the constitutional capital city of the Kingdom but it is the Royal and political capital city of the country. Cycling itineraries have been designed in order to provide cyclists the opportunity to discover the monuments of this charming coastal city, including Noordeinde and Huis ten Bosch Palaces, the Peace Palace (photo) which is the seat of the International Court of Justice and the Villa Eikenhorst where the Dutch King and the Queen live.

Between 1919 and 1933, the Bauhaus School, based first in Weimar and then in Dessau, revolutionized architectural and aesthetic concepts and practices. The buildings put up and decorated by the school's professors (Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and Wassily Kandinsky) launched the Modern Movement, which shaped much of the architecture of the 20th century. In Dessau you can visit many of the buildings that were built in the city whilst the School were based there, including the famous school buildings themselves.

In Poland, the Capitals Route inevitably passes through Warsaw. Also called the "phoenix city", Warsaw has survived the extensive damage it suffered in World War II and its Historic Centre is now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Starting form Warsaw’s symbol, the Mermaid Statue, in the very centre of Old Town Square, discover this wonderful city of palaces, royal gardens and grand parks.
Photo credit: Datmater

The Katyn war cemetery is a Polish military cemetery located in Katyn, a small village 22 kilometres away from Smolensk, Russia, on the road to Vitebsk. It contains the remnants of 4,412 Polish officers of the Kozelsk prisoner of war camp, who were murdered in 1940 in what is called the Katyn massacre.

The Reichstag building was constructed to house the Reichstag, parliament of the German Empire. It was opened in 1894 and housed the Reichstag until 1933, when it was severely damaged in a fire. After World War II, the building fell into disuse. The ruined building was made safe against the elements and partially refurbished in the 1960s, but no attempt at full restoration was made until after German reunification on 3 October 1990, when it underwent a reconstruction led by internationally renowned architect Norman Foster. After its completion in 1999, it once again became the meeting place of the German parliament: the modern Bundestag. The roof terrace and dome of the Reichstag Building offer an incomparable view of Berlin's parliamentary and government quarter.

Swinging London is Europe’s largest city and the capital of the UK. Levels of cycling are starting to grow in the city and it is the perfect way to explore its many different areas and attractions, including the Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the Palace of Westminster (photo), Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul’s Cathedral, the British Museum…there’s too much to see in one visit!
Photo credit: chensiyuan

Last but not least, the Capitals Route ends in the Russian Capital, Moscow. The Red Square is the ideal place for the end point of the bicycle tour. Travellers can enjoy the high concentration of cultural and historical monuments on this famous square, experience the Russian political history with Lenin's Mausoleum by the Kremlin wall, enjoy the architectural beauty of Saint Basil's Cathedral or take a look at the towers of the Resurrection Gate.
Photo credit: Daniel Gasienica